Former President Donald Trump made a visit to Michigan on Wednesday night with the ostensible aim of rallying the United Auto Workers (UAW) union at strike. However, as the UAW union prepared to broaden their strike on Friday, the message of Donald Trump did not align with the expectations of many laborers.
Speaking at Drake Enterprises, a notably non-union parts manufacturer, Trump voiced his support for the UAW’s pursuit of higher wages, though he asserted that it would ultimately hold little significance.
“It doesn’t make a damn bit of difference what you get because in two years you’re all going to be out of business,” Trump asserted, met with an audience that alternated between moments of uneasy silence.
Trump contended that union leadership was betraying the auto workers, alleging that the White House’s mandated shift toward electric vehicles would decimate well-compensated auto positions. “They’re going to be closing up and they’re going to be building those cars in China and other places. It’s a hit job in Michigan, and in Detroit,” Trump asserted.
Nevertheless, Trump sought the UAW’s endorsement and reiterated this desire multiple times during his speech. “Tell your UAW leaders — no problems with them — but they have to endorse Trump,” he urged.
In response to Trump’s address, President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign released a statement condemning Trump’s criticisms of Biden’s initiatives, including the Inflation Reduction Act and incentives for electric vehicles.
“Donald Trump is lying about President Biden’s agenda to distract from his failed track record of trickle-down tax cuts, closed factories, and jobs outsourced to China,” declared the Biden campaign in their statement.
Following Trump’s speech on Wednesday night, the UAW refrained from issuing any new statements, though union head Shawn Fain had issued vigorous remarks ahead of Trump’s visit.
“I see no point in meeting with him because I don’t think the man has any bit of care about what our workers stand for, what the working class stands for,” Fain conveyed to CNN on Tuesday. “[Trump] serves a billionaire class and that’s what’s wrong [with] this country.”
Regarding the UAW strikes, a source confirmed that Fain plans to expand his “stand up” strike strategy this Friday at 10 a.m. ET if significant progress is not achieved in talks with the Big Three. (A “stand up” strike involves only select union members participating on the picket lines.)
Last Friday, Fain and the UAW broadened their strikes to encompass 38 GM and Stellantis parts and distribution facilities, sparing Ford due to reported progress with the Dearborn-based automaker. The UAW confirmed late Wednesday night that Fain would address via Facebook live at 10 a.m. ET.
Despite the looming threat of further strikes, negotiations persist with the Big Three. CBS News reported that Fain was slated to meet with GM negotiators yesterday afternoon, and both sides have been engaged in discussions.
Ford also confirmed that talks are underway. “Negotiations continue. Our focus remains on working diligently with the UAW to reach a deal that rewards our workforce and enables Ford to invest in a vibrant and growing future,” the company stated.
The investment community and Wall Street have been strategizing in response to the UAW’s stand up strike approach and assessing its potential duration. Today marks the 14th day of the strike.
“UAW’s selective strike strategy targets plants producing mid-sized SUVs, focusing on facilities with average daily outputs of 900-1,100 units, carefully balancing the union’s sustainability against the automakers’ potential losses,” noted Third Bridge analyst Shoggi Ezeizat in a recent report. “Our experts estimate a strike duration of 2-4 weeks, citing that prolonged action risks economic repercussions on local economies. Public support and political tolerance for the strike are expected to wane, hastening negotiations.”
The UAW strike, coupled with the controversial statements by Donald Trump, has intensified the already heated discourse surrounding labor rights and the automotive industry, leaving both workers and stakeholders in anticipation of what comes next.
Source: Yahoo Finance
